REMA 1000 opts for WITRON for its site in Vinterbro

WITRON realizes another flagship project in Norway

Image: REMA

After having awarded WITRON Logistik + Informatik GmbH the order for the realization of a full assortment logistics center in Stavanger (Norway) at the end of October 2015, the Norwegian food retailer, REMA 1000, will now realize a second project with WITRON.

The systems integrator from Parkstein was able to prevail against numerous competitors in the course of an international design competition. WITRON convinced with its concept and received the order for the design, implementation, and the on-site service of the new REMA distribution center in Vinterbro. The facility with a size of 50,000 square meters / 538,000 square feet will supply 574 stores. The contract was signed in September 2016.

Store-friendly systemsThe fully automated and semi-automated WITRON picking systems OPM (Order Picking Machinery), DPS (Dynamic Picking System), and CPS (Car Picking System) will be in use for the new distribution center, which cover dry, fresh as well as frozen food. The cases will be picked and palletized in a store-friendly manner, meaning that all store layouts will be taken into consideration and shelf replenishment at the store will be much easier.

Just as it was for the project in Stavanger, the decisive criteria for the project in Vinterbro were high cost-efficiency, flexibility, ergonomics, densely packed store pallets, and maximum order consolidation. Based on an innovative warehouse management system, the WITRON solutions optimally met these requirements.

Dynamic picking processesFactors such as sales volumes, order structures, weekly cycles, seasonal changes, and ABC curves dynamically determine whether to pick items fully automated from the storage pallet or semi-automated from totes or pallet sized layer trays. It also decides whether to remove products fully automatically on full, half, or third pallets directly from the high bay warehouse. The result are holistic and ergonomic processes with high flexibility.

Maximum order consolidationNorway has a north-south expansion of 2,000 km / 1,240 miles. Based on this, every pallet and every trailer must be optimally filled with goods when servicing the individual stores. This requires maximum order consolidation. Therefore, small-volume items (piece picking) are directly picked into the dispatch carton by the DPS and supplied to the OPM system. There they will be stacked fully automatically onto order pallets where they are consolidated with larger cases and packaging units.

A mechanized shipping buffer consolidates all order pallets from the dry goods and fresh goods assortment and provides them to the truck driver via the conveyor system. Frozen food will be buffered in the frozen goods area after picking and provided to the dispatch area shortly before loading. All sorted according to store layouts and route optimization.

Norwegian food retailers trust WITRONAs a general contractor, WITRON is responsible for the design, realization, and implementation of all IT, control engineering, and mechanical components, as well as future servicing and system maintenance. WITRON's subsidiary, FAS, develops and produces the majority of the implemented conveyor system.

Headquartered in Oslo, REMA 1000 is one of the most successful discount retailers in Scandinavia and employs over 17,800 people. In addition to Coop and ASKO, leading food retailers opt for the highly dynamic logistics and picking systems from WITRON.